2024年6月26日，新加坡总理黄循财出席新加坡旅游业大奖颁奖典礼。
以下内容为新加坡眼根据国会英文资料翻译整理：
我很高兴今晚能与大家一同参加今年的旅游奖颁奖典礼，更重要的是，庆祝新加坡旅游局（Singapore Tourism Board，简称STB）成立60周年——这意味着新加坡在旅游推广和发展上已经有60年的历史。旅游景观的变化
在过去的60年里，发生了许多变化。回顾1964年，我们只有数万名游客。与今天相比，当时我们的景点相对简单——1971年是飞禽公园，1973年后又有动物园。之后是圣淘沙。如今，我们拥有世界级的景点，每年迎来来自全球各地的超过一千万游客。
这些变化并非偶然发生，而是经过多年甚至几十年的努力和投资。我们投资了关键基础设施，如樟宜机场。我们改造和改进了我们的景点——动物园和飞禽公园现在成为曼底自然主题景区的一部分。通过滨海艺术中心和博物馆，我们加强了艺术和文化的呈现。我们引入了世界级的设施和设备，包括综合度假区。我们策划了一年中更丰富的生活方式活动日程。重要的是，我们共同努力，确保游客的整体体验是良好的——从机场顺畅的入境清关到拥有干净、绿化和安全的街道，使游客可以尽情享受。
表彰先驱和服务专业人员
在过去的60年里，这种显著的转变离不开大家的奉献。我们的新加坡旅游局的现任和前任工作人员，我想这里也有几位老资格的STB官员，还有过去的主席、董事会成员和首席执行官，以及我们旅游行业的合作伙伴们。你们的努力继续帮助新加坡成为一个吸引人的、必游的目的地。就像主持人刚才说的，过去当你告诉别人你来自哪里时，大多数人会一脸茫然。他们真的不知道新加坡在哪里，这是在上世纪80年代和90年代。而如今，情况完全不同了。人们知道新加坡在哪里，我们的品牌名字，我们的声誉都很高，所有这些成就都是因为你们的贡献和辛勤工作而实现的。所以今晚我想感谢大家的贡献和辛勤工作。非常感谢你们。
今晚，我们向旅游业的先驱之一李珮美女士致敬。她于1978年加入了新加坡旅游促进局的前身——新加坡旅游推广局。她是最早意识到推广新加坡文化和遗产作为我们独特卖点的人之一。她倡导保护历史街区如牛车水和小印度；保护遗产建筑如赞美广场和莱佛士酒店；甚至参与恢复新加坡河畔传统的水上小船！她的领导和远见在塑造新加坡旅游业方面发挥了关键作用。我相信大家都会同意她当之无愧地获得终身成就奖。祝贺她！我们也要表彰旅游业的几位领袖。我们有杰出的旅游企业家陈国良先生，活动领域的林慧丽女士，还有吴俊鹏先生、任锦荣先生、达米安·德西尔瓦先生、江长华先生，他们都将获得表彰奖。祝贺你们所有人。
我们还要表彰24名服务专业人员，因为他们为客户付出了额外的努力。他们都在一线工作，从导游到咖啡馆经理，各司其职。所有这些人都为游客提供了特别关心和照顾。其中一位，Pugunes Visvanathan，曾是特殊需求学校的助教。她决定转行进入零售行业，最终找到了自己在圣淘沙的高级售票主持工作。尽管她的职业道路发生了变化，但她保持着关怀和同理心。有一次，她遇到了一个迷路的男孩，他又害怕又哭泣。凭借她以往的经验，她能够感觉到他是一个有特殊需求的男孩。因此，她特别关注安慰他，给了他一个拥抱，并最终与他的母亲团聚。还有许多其他类似温暖人心的故事，讲述了个人如何不遗余力，为我们在新加坡的游客提供卓越的体验。感谢大家为我们的旅游业做出的贡献！
提升旅游体验
我们在新加坡旅游业的发展中走过了很长的路程。但我们不能自满。其他国家正在加大竞争力度。如今的旅行者有许多选择。
新加坡要竞争并不容易。在我们周围的地区，有许多有趣的地方可供游客选择。如果你想要美丽的海滩，印度尼西亚、泰国和菲律宾有很多选择。如果你对历史感兴趣，周边地区也有许多著名的文化遗产地可供参观。那么，新加坡可以做些什么？我们如何竞争呢？
首先，我们应该建立在我们的优势基础上。我们不能面面俱到，应该专注于我们的新加坡故事——不同背景的人如何团结一致，以及我们如何共同努力，将这个地方从泥滩变成大都市。有趣的是，我发现新加坡市区重建局（URA）的新加坡城市画廊是最受欢迎的旅游目的地之一。URA设立画廊并非出于旅游目的，但它成为如此大的旅游吸引力，表明人们对我们国家发展的兴趣。我们应该发展更好的方式来讲述我们的新加坡故事。这不仅仅是关于硬件和基础设施，更关乎更好的叙事技巧。我们可以通过博物馆、艺术和文化表演来做到这一点，让游客以一种引人入胜和真实的方式体验新加坡。
我们的另一个优势是作为一个商业枢纽。我们吸引了许多商务旅行者。我们是世界上最受欢迎的商务会议和会展活动目的地之一。我们应该建立在这一优势上，采取更多措施鼓励商务旅行者前来，并在完成工作后留下来观光游览——参观我们的景点或享受从米其林星级餐厅到小贩中心等多样的餐饮体验。
我们的连通性是另一个重要资产。远道而来的游客希望访问不止一个国家。因此，新加坡可以作为他们在该地区进行短期访问的出发点，无论是乘飞机还是从我们的邮轮中心出发。
其次，我们可以开发更多富有想象力的项目。我们有几个新景点正在筹备中——如滨海湾的新娱乐竞技场，万态自然保护区的新景点等。我们正在考虑举办重大体育赛事。我们正在引进更多的音乐会和节庆活动。关键在于能够协同合作并将所有元素整合在一起。这正是我们的F1赛事成功的原因。它不仅仅是一场车赛，而是一个整个周末的活动，周边有许多支持性活动——国际会议、音乐会等。我们应该采用同样的方式来策划其他新活动，使它们不仅仅是孤立进行，而是作为新加坡全年丰富多彩的不可忘怀体验日历的一部分精心策划。这意味着新加坡旅游局不能单打独斗。它必须与其他政府机构以及行业合作伙伴紧密合作，以最大化我们的整体努力。
最后，旅游业本质上是一项与人相关的业务。所有最好的景点、酒店和活动，如果没有人的情感、服务和联系，都无法产生影响。我们将继续投资于我们的人力资源，以保持我们的竞争优势。贸工部和新加坡旅游局有计划进一步培训我们的导游，并培养旅游行业的领导者。他们将适时分享更多细节。
归根结底，我们每个人都是最重要的吸引力。
新加坡人都是新加坡的大使，我们应努力向所有来访者展示我们的热情和好客。我们应尽力保存新加坡独特的文化和遗产，建设一个我们自豪的家园，不仅为自己而且为了向世界展示。
总结
新加坡在超出所有预期的情况下取得了成功。但我们永远是一个小红点——没有腹地，也没有自然资源。这意味着我们必须不断重塑自我，找到新的方法为世界增加价值，并为自己谋生。
今晚，当我们庆祝60年的旅游发展时，当我们庆祝旅游业合作伙伴的成就时，我希望我们能相互激励，不断努力，将新加坡的旅游业推向更高峰。
非常感谢大家。
以下是英文质询内容：
I am happy to join you tonight for this year’s Tourism Awards, and importantly to mark STB’s 60th anniversary – which means 60 years of tourism promotion and development in Singapore.
Changes in the Tourism Landscape
Much has changed in these last 60 years. Back in 1964, we only had several tens of thousands of tourists. If we compared with today, we had rather simple attractions then – the Bird Park in 1971 and the Zoo later in 1973. And then we have Sentosa later. Today we have world-class attractions, and we welcome well over ten million visitors from all over the world.
These changes did not happen by chance; took years and decades of hard work. We invested in key infrastructure like Changi Airport. We revamped and improved our attractions – the Zoo and Bird Park are now part of a cluster of nature-themed attractions in Mandai. We strengthened our art and cultural offerings through the Esplanade, our museums. We brought in world-class amenities and facilities, including the Integrated Resorts. We curated a more vibrant calendar of lifestyle events throughout the year. Importantly, we worked together to make sure that the entire visitors experience is a good one – from smooth immigration clearance at the airport to having clean, green, and safe streets where visitors can enjoy themselves.
Recognising Pioneers and Service Professionals
This remarkable transformation over the last 60 years couldn’t have happened without the dedication of all of you. Our STB officers past and present, I think several veteran STB officers are here, past Chairmen, board members and CEOS as well as our partners in the tourism industry. Your efforts continue to help make Singapore an attractive, must-see destination. As the emcce said just now, in the past, when you tell people where you are from, you get a blank look at most people faces. They really do not know where Singapore is. This is in the 1980s and 1990s. Nowadays, it is very different. People know where Singapore is, our brand name, our reputation is up there and all our achievements have been made possible because of your contributions and hard work. So tonight I would like to thank all of you for your contributions and hard work. Thank you very much.
Tonight, we honour one of the tourism sector’s pioneers, Mrs Pamelia Lee. She joined STB’s predecessor – the Singapore Tourist Promotion Board – in 1978. She was one of the first to recognise the value in promoting Singapore’s culture and heritage as our unique selling points. She advocated for the preservation of historic districts like Chinatown and Little India; conservation of heritage buildings like CHIJMES and Raffles Hotel; and even played a role in bringing back the traditional bumboats along the Singapore River! Her leadership and vision played a key role in shaping Singapore’s tourism sector. So I am sure you will agree with me that she is a well-deserved recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award. Congratulations. We are also recognising a number of leaders in the tourism industry. We have an outstanding tourism entrepreneur Mr Ron Tan, Lynette Tan who is doing events, and we have Mr Goh Choon Phong, Mr Yam Kum Weng, Mr Damian D’Silva, Mr Kung Teong Wah, they are all getting the recognition awards. Congratulations to all of you.
We also honour 24 service professionals for going the extra mile for their customers. They all serve at the frontline, working in different roles, from tourist guides to café managers. All of them had done their part to provide exceptional care and concern for visitors. One of them, Pugunes Visvanathan, was previously an Assistant Teacher in a special needs school. She decided to make career switch and joined the retail industry, and eventually found her way to Sentosa as a Senior Ticketing Host. While her career path has changed, she retains her sense of care and empathy. One time, she met a boy who was lost. He was scared and crying. From her past experience, she could tell that he was a boy with special needs. So she paid extra attention to comfort him, gave him a hug, and eventually reunited him with his mother. There are many other such heartwarming stories of individuals who have gone above and beyond, to deliver exceptional experiences to our visitors in Singapore. Thank you all for your contributions to our tourism industry!
Enhancing our Tourism Experience
We have come a long way in developing tourism in Singapore. But we cannot be complacent. Other countries are stepping up their game. Travellers these days have many options.
It’s not easy for Singapore to compete. In our immediate region alone, there are so many interesting places to visit. If you want nice beaches, there are many options to explore, in Indonesia, Thailand and Philippines. If you are interested in history, there are also many well- known heritage places to visit around the region. So, what can we do in Singapore? How do we compete?
First, we should build on our strengths. We can’t be all things to all people. We should focus on our Singapore Story – how people from diverse backgrounds have come together as one, and how we have worked together to transform this place from mudflats to metropolis. Interestingly, I found out that one of the most popular tourist destinations is at URA – the Singapore City Gallery. URA didn’t set up the Gallery for tourism purposes. But the fact that it is such a tourist draw shows there is interest in how we have developed as a nation. We should develop better ways to tell our Singapore Story. This is not about hardware and infrastructure. It is about better storytelling. How can we do that through our museums, our arts and cultural performances – so that visitors can experience Singapore in an appealing and authentic way.
Another strength is our position as a business hub. We attract many business travellers. We are amongst the most popular destinations in the world for business meetings and for MICE events. We should build on this and do more to encourage business travellers to come, and then to stay on and do some sightseeing after their work is done – visit our attractions or enjoy dining experiences across our wide range of F&B options, from Michelin-starred restaurants to hawker centres.
Our connectivity is yet another key asset. Visitors who travel from afar to our region will want to visit more than just one country. So Singapore can be a launchpad from which they can do short visits to other countries, either by plane, or even by taking a cruise from our cruise centre.
Second, we can develop more imaginative projects. We have a few new attractions in the pipeline – new entertainment arena at Marina Bay, new attractions at Mandai nature reserve etc. We are looking at major sports events. We are bringing more concerts and festivals. Key is to be able to synergise and pull it all together. That was what made our F1 so successful. It was not just a car race, but an entire weekend with many supporting activities around it – international conferences, concerts etc. We should adapt this same approach in staging other new events, so that they are not just done in isolation, but are curated as part of a vibrant year-round calendar of unforgettable experiences in Singpaore. That means STB cannot just operate on its own. It has to work closely with other government agencies as well as industry partners to maximise our overall efforts.
Finally, tourism, at its core, is a people business. All the best attractions, hotels and events will count for nothing without the human touch – in imagination, service and connection. We will continue to invest in our people to maintain our competitive advantage. MTI and STB have plans to better equip our tour guides, and also to nurture leaders in the tourism sector. They will share more about this in due course.
At the end of the day, the most important attraction is all of us.
We – Singaporeans – are all ambassadors of Singapore and we should strive to extend our warmth and hospitality to all our visitors. We should do our part to preserve Singapore’s unique culture and heritage and build a home that we can be proud of, both for ourselves and to showcase to the world.
Conclusion
Singapore has succeeded beyond all expectations. But we always be a little red dot – with no hinterland, and no natural resources. That means we have to constantly reinvent ourselves and find new ways to add value to the world and make a living for ourselves.
Tonight, as we celebrate the 60 years of tourism development, as we celebrate the achievements of our partners in the tourism industry, I hope we can inspire one another to keep on striving to do better and to bring Singapore tourism to even greater heights.
Thank you very much.
TH丨编辑
CH丨编审
新加坡总理公署丨来源
黄循财脸书丨图源